The Measure of Trust Beyond Time
“Trust Between People Does Not Necessarily Follow the Length of Time They Have Known Each Other.
If I am prepared to entrust my very life to you, what meaning is there in measuring the depth of our acquaintance by time?
And if I have misjudged a person, then I shall simply repay it with my life.”
These weighty yet deeply resonant words on faith and trust come from Goguryeo, the historical novel by Kim Jin-myung.
Eulbul, a royal descendant of Goguryeo, would one day become the kingdom’s fifteenth king, King Micheon. Yet in his youth, he was driven out of the palace under the shadow of his uncle King Bongsang’s suspicion and jealousy. Though born of royal blood, he survived as a wanderer, living the harsh life of a salt merchant and drifter merely to stay alive.
Then one day, he encountered a man named Yeono.
Eulbul revealed to him his true identity and spoke openly of his plan to reclaim the throne of Goguryeo. Startled, Yeono asked,
“We have only just met today. How can you entrust me with something so grave?”
And it was then that Eulbul replied:
“Trust between people is not determined by the length of time they have known one another.
If I have judged a man wrongly, then I shall pay for it with my life.”
As we journey through life,
there are relationships that collapse overnight despite decades together,
while a single day’s encounter may become a bond that lasts a lifetime.
The measure by which we trust another person is not the amount of time we have shared.
It is the ability to recognize the worth of that person,
and the courage to take responsibility for one’s own judgment.
Thus, trust is not merely faith placed in another;
in the end, it is also faith in oneself.
— From Dawn Light Notes by Ki Jun Kwon
Today’s Reflection
★ To trust someone is, before all else, to trust the eyes within yourself that recognized that person. ★
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